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whatever happened to...

Brian HCM#1

MMMMMMMMM BEER!!!!!!!!!!
Sep 7, 2001
32,119
378
Bay Area, California
Those days pop into my head periodically and I'll start laughing at some of the goofy shit we did or said....

Yeah been a few minutes....
At the beginning of Covid I had a fire sale of old shit laying around to buy my Evil Offering. First thing I sold was a set of EX823's laced to some Hope Big Un's, and a Stratos S7. The beginning of the DH wave was the best!
 

Avy

Turbo Monkey
Jan 24, 2006
1,119
374
No Brother,that is Not the First Shot in you’re Post. The First shot is different. That is the last shot if I am not mistaken,it does not show the rotor as I said? It look’s like the 20mm Axel broke,or the Hub?
Avy
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
6,628
5,443
Brake therapy, hopey, twenty6, stratos, zzyzx, Middleburn, race face quality, DW, good battles between dw, Darren , Craig, avy cult, kittens in marzocchi and shimzzzz...
Ha, I gave a mate a pair of wheels with Middleburn hubs and told him at some point the rear one will die, possibly in a big way, because they were shit.
About six months ago he gave me the back wheel back and the hub was dead, I think the axle flexes so much that the drive shits out.
The front hub had caps that were held in by some Enduro seals, so pretty much every time you put the wheel in to the fork a cap would drop out.
EDIT- I think the rear axle also had 9mm stubs on it so it could move around in the DO which probably didn't help.
Again, pretty much every British bike product I have had has been shit.
 

Avy

Turbo Monkey
Jan 24, 2006
1,119
374
No Brother,that is Not the First Shot in you’re Post. The First shot is different. That is the last shot if I am not mistaken,it does not show the rotor as I said? It look’s like the 20mm Axel broke,or the Hub?
Avy
Sorry,I was talking to you WestCoast,I did not enter it properly with picture.
Avy
 

bullcrew

3 Dude Approved
Ha, I gave a mate a pair of wheels with Middleburn hubs and told him at some point the rear one will die, possibly in a big way, because they were shit.
About six months ago he gave me the back wheel back and the hub was dead, I think the axle flexes so much that the drive shits out.
The front hub had caps that were held in by some Enduro seals, so pretty much every time you put the wheel in to the fork a cap would drop out.
EDIT- I think the rear axle also had 9mm stubs on it so it could move around in the DO which probably didn't help.
Again, pretty much every British bike product I have had has been shit.
Cranks rocked. Didn't know they had hubs
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,852
9,557
AK
Ha, I gave a mate a pair of wheels with Middleburn hubs and told him at some point the rear one will die, possibly in a big way, because they were shit.
About six months ago he gave me the back wheel back and the hub was dead, I think the axle flexes so much that the drive shits out.
The front hub had caps that were held in by some Enduro seals, so pretty much every time you put the wheel in to the fork a cap would drop out.
EDIT- I think the rear axle also had 9mm stubs on it so it could move around in the DO which probably didn't help.
Again, pretty much every British bike product I have had has been shit.
Never understood the draw of middleburn cranks, as in, how are these any different than any other cranks made out of solid metal?, like RF Turbine/Atlas, Truvative Holzfellers, FSA, etc...I mean, they are british..but apart from that, there seem to be numerous cranks that would do the same exact thing...
 

trib

not worthy of a Rux.
Jun 22, 2009
1,456
388
Never understood the draw of middleburn cranks, as in, how are these any different than any other cranks made out of solid metal?, like RF Turbine/Atlas, Truvative Holzfellers, FSA, etc...I mean, they are british..but apart from that, there seem to be numerous cranks that would do the same exact thing...
Well, the fact that there is more than one company manufacturing stems is going to blow your mind.

middleburn cranks just looked classier. Nothing more to it than that.
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
6,628
5,443
Never understood the draw of middleburn cranks, as in, how are these any different than any other cranks made out of solid metal?, like RF Turbine/Atlas, Truvative Holzfellers, FSA, etc...I mean, they are british..but apart from that, there seem to be numerous cranks that would do the same exact thing...
Yeah but the nice open shaped forging let them flex more than their competitors, oh wait, that's not really a positive.
For the time they were fairly light and if you weren't a fatty on a hardtail they probably stayed straight for a while.
 

slimshady

¡Mira, una ardilla!
I think Middleburn jumped on the "made in UK" bandwagon exploited by Orange, Hope and many others back in the day, just as Intense*, Cannondale, Zzyxxz (??) and many others peddled the "made in America" motto. It's called chauvinism, and makes a nice portion of advertising.



* (until they went to Asia and never looked back)
 

iRider

Turbo Monkey
Apr 5, 2008
5,648
3,089
It's called chauvinism, and makes a nice portion of advertising.
I think it is called "I actually feel comfortable living in the country I am manufacturing my things because I am not just gonna outsource the dirty work and pollute someone else's place and exploit their workforce for my profit".
For the record: I have no problems with e.g. a chinese company producing in China or a taiwanese company in Taiwan. But these "Designed in the USA....manufactured in Asia" companies should just stop their BS.
 

slimshady

¡Mira, una ardilla!
I think it is called "I actually feel comfortable living in the country I am manufacturing my things because I am not just gonna outsource the dirty work and pollute someone else's place and exploit their workforce for my profit".
For the record: I have no problems with e.g. a chinese company producing in China or a taiwanese company in Taiwan. But these "Designed in the USA....manufactured in Asia" companies should just stop their BS.
Yes, and I completely support the idea of domestic manufacturing, for the added benefits of local support, enhanced/skilled workforce and general economic improvements! I'm referring specifically to some brands who peddle the "made in XXX" as a way to add prestige to some inferior product. Case in point, Middleburn. I recall a friend lusting over those cranks back in the day, and then fitting them to his Kona Kilauea. Gosh those things might have looked good, but they performed awfully!
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
I think it is called "I actually feel comfortable living in the country I am manufacturing my things because I am not just gonna outsource the dirty work and pollute someone else's place and exploit their workforce for my profit".
For the record: I have no problems with e.g. a chinese company producing in China or a taiwanese company in Taiwan. But these "Designed in the USA....manufactured in Asia" companies should just stop their BS.
Still better than companies advertising "handmade" bikes. As opposed to what? How many high end bikes are welded by robots? It's like claiming non GMO water.
 

Avy

Turbo Monkey
Jan 24, 2006
1,119
374
Never understood the draw of middleburn cranks, as in, how are these any different than any other cranks made out of solid metal?, like RF Turbine/Atlas, Truvative Holzfellers, FSA, etc...I mean, they are british..but apart from that, there seem to be numerous cranks that would do the same exact thing...
That remind’s Jm,talking about a Lust for a Set of Crank’s. What was that Beautiful One Piece Crank(Spindle Drive Side Crank) years back? Was it Moot’s that made it? I think it was like 700 Dollars or more,was it Ti? Very Clean it was,no more info otherwise. Can not remember who made it?
Avy
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,562
24,182
media blackout
That remind’s Jm,talking about a Lust for a Set of Crank’s. What was that Beautiful One Piece Crank(Spindle Drive Side Crank) years back? Was it Moot’s that made it? I think it was like 700 Dollars or more,was it Ti? Very Clean it was,no more info otherwise. Can not remember who made it?
Avy
Cane creek eewings is the modern iteration of an older crank that was a similar configuration
 

Avy

Turbo Monkey
Jan 24, 2006
1,119
374
a buddy used to work @ sombrio HQ for a bit; this piqued my curiosity as dave (sombrio founder) has been off the radar for a bit. seems he sold out to dorel (& most likely made some decent bank in the process), and is now ceo of this local e-gizmo company:

https://veemo.ca/
I do not know how you fount him,but Thank You. Dave was on the Very Top of my List of pure Hate as a Rider. He had a way of being sooo Smooth while riding what to me was impossible? I remember The RedBull GingerByne(sp?)Ausi,Ausi,Ausi. The First one on a Dam,or the Land of a Dam. I spoke to the Man himself who filmt it. VHS,he took my bank card and all. I Love that to this Day,have ya all seen it? Where Wade got a Flat on his Last Run? Shit,I got Brake Pump just watching it! Straight Down it was. Dave was on a Foes,it came Very Late,airplane trouble. He was not Himself. On his Last Drop I thought he was goin Die of the Huge Drop. He somehow got it together but Flew into the Hay Bail’s at the finish line. Off his Bike he went. Just some thought’s I had.
Avy
 

Avy

Turbo Monkey
Jan 24, 2006
1,119
374
Yes,that sounds right. How much, and we’re they Ti? I got a find a picture.
Avy
That’s Them Brother,good call. Now,how you reckon these compare to MiddleBurn? What’s that Hammer? Proper!
Avy
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
Zumbi?

There's one for sale close to us that a buddy is looking at.

Decent? Any known issues? Support?
View attachment 177749
I had one for 10 minutes, maybe 20. I really liked the suspension on it- fairly "linearly progressive" and mine had an avy shock on it that really performed well with the suspension.

Issues- reservoir/swingarm clearance, and the assembly of the bearings/linkages can be a bear. There were some linkage flex issues that were resolved with a brace- that one doesn't seem to have the brace but it appears newer so it may have been resolved. @w00dy hated his for some reason, but I thought it was because sizing was way off what he expected. Mine was "fine" but this was in the day of short DH bikes, not 500mm reach measurements.


tl;dr would buy and shred until it fell apart.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,562
24,182
media blackout
I had one for 10 minutes, maybe 20. I really liked the suspension on it- fairly "linearly progressive" and mine had an avy shock on it that really performed well with the suspension.

Issues- reservoir/swingarm clearance, and the assembly of the bearings/linkages can be a bear. There were some linkage flex issues that were resolved with a brace- that one doesn't seem to have the brace but it appears newer so it may have been resolved. @w00dy hated his for some reason, but I thought it was because sizing was way off what he expected. Mine was "fine" but this was in the day of short DH bikes, not 500mm reach measurements.


tl;dr would buy and shred until it fell apart.
ive always had a seemingly irrational desire for one of those frames
 

Avy

Turbo Monkey
Jan 24, 2006
1,119
374
I’m glad this came up again. Nathen Rennie(sp?). Last I saw was a video of him on a Intense. Why did he get booted from Santa Cruz? I have heard it was drinking,but have no idea?

Avy
 

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,479
4,719
Australia
I’m glad this came up again. Nathen Rennie(sp?). Last I saw was a video of him on a Intense. Why did he get booted from Santa Cruz? I have heard it was drinking,but have no idea?

Avy
Nah he quit SC and went to Morewood. He's working over here building trails and freeride courses. Still a wildman on a bike.
 

Avy

Turbo Monkey
Jan 24, 2006
1,119
374
Nah he quit SC and went to Morewood. He's working over here building trails and freeride courses. Still a wildman on a bike.
Thank You,what does he ride? Is it Free for him? A recent Picture would be grand. He is Savage.

Avy
 

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,479
4,719
Australia
Thank You,what does he ride? Is it Free for him? A recent Picture would be grand. He is Savage.

Avy
He ha a V10 last I saw him. Not sure if its a hook-up or not, but I assume he's got some deals going on. He's building jumps and a slopestyle course at the Kooralbyn Valley MTB in QLD, plus runs coaching clinics etc.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,562
24,182
media blackout
last thing i remember actually hearing about nathan rennie is that he got a dui. couple years ago.

he did turn up on the vintage dh forum a few times as well.
 

konastab01

Turbo Monkey
Dec 7, 2004
1,203
215
last thing i remember actually hearing about nathan rennie is that he got a dui. couple years ago.

he did turn up on the vintage dh forum a few times as well.
He was auctioning some of his stuff off last year, jerseys and helmets. Got decent money but they were beat to fuck and imo mostly worthless.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
Zumbi?

There's one for sale close to us that a buddy is looking at.

Decent? Any known issues? Support?
View attachment 177749

Risky. I don't know if the newer models like this are sorted but old ones had a fuckton of issues. Not sure about the geo. I know the owner is starting some new company that looks pretty good so I hope it works out but used Zumbis are a lottery since earlier models used to have Intense M6 level of geometry consistency.
 

Electric_City

Torture wrench
Apr 14, 2007
1,993
716
Corsair?

I never knew much about them. But I found this old article and some of their ideas have been in the back of my head for a while. Like using different suspension designs for different types of riding? Besides patented ones.

Others seem to catching on now like a high idler pulley.

 

mykel

closer to Periwinkle
Apr 19, 2013
5,070
3,779
sw ontario canada
Did they not have some horrendous alignment issues?
Eating of bearings and idler pulley's rings a bell.

I always thought the ideas were good, but execution was a little soviet.